Variable-speed mechanism.



No. 728,266. PATENTEDI' MAY 19, 1903.

A. MILL. I VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

APPLIUATIOK FILED JULY 10, 1902.

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No. 728,266. PATENTED'MAY 19, 1903;

' A. MILL.

VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.-

' "APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1902.

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no MODEL,

widmeboza I UNITED STATES PATENT Patented May 19, 1903.

OFFICE.

VARIABLE-SPEED MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,266, dated May 19,1903.

Application filed July 10,1902. Serial No. 115.015. (No model.)

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a Variable-speed device, which for convenienceof illustration is shown as applied toa counter-shaft, but which in itsprinciple of construction is adapt:

able to any machine organization in whicha' variety of feeds or speedsis desired.

simple mechanism which in a small compass and with the smallest possiblenumber of gearwheels will give an obtainable range of speeds equal toany machine-tool requirement.

Another object of my invention is to provide superior shifting devicesfor actuating the several parts in their respective movements, wherebythe changes may be quickly" and conveniently made.

Another object of my invention is to so connect these shifting deviceswith the prime moving wheel that the changes can be quickly made withthe power removed.

Other features and details of myinvention will be more fully set forthin the description of the accompanying drawings, making a part 1.. Fig.3 is a central section of a modification. Fig. 4 is a section on, line yy, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the shifting bar. Fig. 6 is amodified view of the shifting mechanism for shifting bar.

A A A represent the journal-brackets suspended from the ceiling. Brepresents the driving-shaft, and C the driven shaft, journaled insuitable bearings insaid' brackets. D represents the driving pulleywheelloose on the driving-shaft. E represents a clutch on the driving-shaftfor fixing saiddrivingwheel to said shaft, and vice versa. F reprepsentsthe clutch-shifting lever pivoted to bracket A, one end of which engagesinto a slot 3 of thesliding bar G, slidably arranged or suspended fromsaid brackets parallel to the shafts. It will be noted that said shaftshave their inner ends opposing, between which ends the variable-speedgears are located. As shown, the driving-shaft is used as the partialjournal for said variable-speed gear-wheelsupport. Thisarraugementmightbe reversed. The driven shaft might continue through the supportingstructure also. In the form shown, however, one of the shafts shouldpreferably terminate the supporting structure, so as to present anabutting end to the variable-speed gearwheel support. 1 represents thedriving gear-wheel fixed on the end of the driving-shaft, and 2represents the driven gear-wheel fixed on the end of the driven shaft.These gear-wheels, it will be noted, are revoluble in parallel planes,and the primaryscheme of theinveutionisto bring a'graduated series ofcompound intermediate gear-wheels selectively into mesh with saiddriving and driven gear-wheels,respectively. Thus the speed is alwaysobtained from the same driving and the same driven gear-wheels, butcompounded by the compound intermediates. It is necessary that thesupport for said intermediates be revoluble in the parallel planesofsaid driving and driven gear-wheels, respectively, and be capable ofbeing presented thereto in the different horizontal and vertical planes,respectively, of said driving and driven gear-wheels. This rotaryintermediate support in the preferred form of construction consists ofthe two opposing disks I 1, disk I, eccentrically journaled on sleeve K,on shaft B, and disk I, having a stub-shaft J, journaled in elongatedbearing J on bracket A, the said journal J being opposite toandconcentric with the journal of said disk I, whereby these disks rotateas a unit in the parallel vertical planes of revolution of the drivingand driven gear-wheels. The stub-shaft J is provided with a rack L, ac-

cessible by means of alongitudinal slot in' ter, which revolve as aunit, and one of which engages the driving and the other the drivengear-wheel simultaneously, this being a wellknown means of compounding.My invention contemplates taking a graded series of such intermediatesand devising a support and movability therefor and actuating meanstherefor by which any selected one of the compounds may be brought intotrain with the driving and driven gear-wheels.

In my preferred form of invention herein illustrated the eccentricitv ofthe gear-support relative to the shaft 13 and the eccentric dispositionof the studs a b, dad, relative to the center of the disks I l are suchthat when the support is rotated the intermediates are successivelythrown into and out of mesh with the driving and driven gearwheels. Asshown, then, the studs a, b, 850., have an orbit of revolution aroundshaft B and between shafts B and O, at a given point of which each ofsaid intermediates is successively thrown into mesh with gears 1 2 andat every other point in which revolution said intermediates are out ofmesh, and hence stationary. The members 4, 6, 8, and of saidintermediate compounds are each revoluble in the plane of revolution ofdriving gearwheel 1, and the other members of said compounds,respectively, 5, 7, 9, and 11, are each revoluble in the plane ofrevolution of driven gear-wheel 2. The stud-shaft J is movablelongitudinally in its bearings, and the disk I is slidablelongitudinally on its journal, so that the support J may be bodily slidin directions transverse to its plane of rotation. By this movement thesupport can he slid to a position at the right of that shown in Fig. 1,in which position the support may be rotated without bringing any ofsaid intermediate compound gear-wheels into train, and hence anyselected intermediate can be in dependently brought into a position justprior to intermeshing position in the orbit of rotation of thegear-support.

Q represents a support-shifting lever, preferably bell-crank in shape,pivoted to the supporting structure, having the toothed segment Q,engaging the teeth of the rack on stub-shaft J through the slottedhearing. Lever Q also has the locking-pawl P engaging the notches ofdisk M.

6 represents the outer end of lever Q, which has a pin engaging in theinclined slot .9 of the sliding rod G.

N represents a rocking lever fulcrumed on shaft 0 and having a toothedsegment 0, en gaging gear-wheel 3 on stub-shaft J.

R. represents an index opposite the handle of lever N for indicatingdifferent positions of rotation of the gearsnpport, and hence differentpositions of engagement of the several intermediate compound gear-wheelson the gear-support.

S represents a lever pivoted to the supporting structure and to thesliding bar G for actuating the same,

Mode of operation.-In the position shown in Fig. 1 gears 1 and 2 are intrain with intermediate compound gear-wheel 4 5. The lever is in itsvertical position, with pawl P engaging one of the notches of disk M,holding the support locked against rotation. Handle S is grasped and thegear-support shifted to the righ t, the movement releasing pawl P fromdisk M, the outer end of lever Q rising in inclined slot 3 and the leverF shifting clutch E to disengaged position. The gearsupport can then berotated through lever N, segment 0, and gear-wheel 3 until the selectedintermediate is rotated to a point in the orbit of rotation of thegear-support just prior to the position of intermesh with gearwheels 1and 2, were the intermediates in the planes of revolution of said gearwheels. Then lever S is shifted in the other direction, the slot 3'permitting a certain degree of sliding to return position without fixingthe clutch. When the members of the selected intermediate compoundgear-wheel are partly in the plane of revolution of gears 1 and 2- thatis, when the teeth of the driving, driven, and intermediate gear-wheelsoverlap slightly in vertical planelever N is rocked slightly, serving toroll the selected intermediate peripherally into mesh with the gears 1and 2. The final movement of lever S is then completed, sliding thecompound intermediates into full mesh with the driving and drivengear-wheels, locking pawl P into the suitablypresented locking-notch ofdisk M,and clutching the power-wheel to the drivingshaft, allsimultaneously. This is a simple andconvenient movement to execute, isfree from danger, has a minimum amount of wear, and the fewest possiblecomponent parts.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the stub-shaft J is not slidable inits bearings; but it has the hand-wheel T for turning the supportandthelockingandindexingdisksU. The gear-wheels are inclosed in thedust-proof casing V. In this arrangement a given intermediate may not beindependently thrown into train; but as the members of the intermediatesare always in the parallel planes of revolution of the driving anddriven gearwheels, respectively, they have to be successivelyintermeshed as the support is rotatedthat is, say the four speedsrepresented by figures 20, 30, 40, and 50 are obtainable. To change from20 to 40, the system must be first passed through the gradation of speedrepresented by the figure 30; but in some classes of work thisrestriction is a desideratum.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, S represents the lever for shiftingthe shaft-shifting lever Q'and the clutch-shifting lever F. In thismodification 20 represents a bevel gear-wheel fixed to the shaft J, anda bevelgear is used in place of the spurgear (Shown in Fig. 4.) It willbe understood that the gear-wheel and notched disk are splined to theshaft, so as to turn therewith, but allow the longitudinal movement ofthe shaft J within said parts. In Fig. 6, 21 represents a bevelgear-wheel journaled in bracketarm 23 and intermeshed with bevel-gear20. 22represents a shaft with a universal joint 24, fixed to thestud-shaft 25, on which a gearwheel 21 is mounted. The outer end of thislever is pivoted to the end of the lever S. 26 27 represent the indexmechanism on this lever, and 28 represents the operating-handle. Thiscontrivance simplifies the operation inasmuch as the lever 28 mayberocked, shifting the clutch and the shaft through the lever S, slidingbar G, and levers Q and F, and the ditferent gear-wheels may he broughtinto position by rotating shaft 22' until the point of the index notesthe proper position of the selected gear-wheel.

The two members of each compound in-' termediate revolve as a singlegear-wheel, but each intermediate is journaled so as to be revolubleindependently of all the remaining intermediates. Therefore in operationonly the selective intermediate revolves,*and this intermediate throughits two members is intermeshed directly with the driving and drivengear-wheel.

Many other instrnmentalities, arrangements, and organizations could bedevised for giving effect to the principles of my invention by a skilledmechanic familiar with the principles herein described and the particular preferred arrangement herein shown, A

and I do not desire to be limited to the details as disclosed exceptwherein specifically embodied in the claims.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In avariable-speed device, adriving and a driven shaft,drivin g and driven gear-wheels revoluble inparallel planes, respectively, a graduated series ofindependently-revoluble compound intermediates, a supporttherefor havinga path of movement whereby one of the members of each compou'ndintermediate is presented to the driving gear-wheel and the other memberof each compound intermediate to the driven gear-wheel, and means formoving and locking said support, whereby a plurality of speed-values isobtainable and transmissible from a single driving to a single drivengear-wheel, substantially as described.

2. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft,driving anddriven gear-wheels revoluble in parallel planes respectively, a

support, a plurality of graduated compound intermediates independentlyrevoluble thereon, themembers of which are placed in the parallel planesof the driving and the driven gear-wheels respectively, and means formoving said support whereby any one of said compound intermediates maybe brought into train between the driving and driven gearwheels,substantially as described.

3. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven gear-wheel ofdifierent diameter revoluble in parallel planes, a graduated series ofindependently-revoluble compound intermediate gear-wheels, the separatemembers of each of which is adapted to bridge the space between thedriving and driven gear-wheels,

whereby different speeds may be transmitted from one shaft to the other,and means for bringing anyselected one of said intermediates intoposition, substantially as described. I

5. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, driving anddriven gear-wheels thereon revoluble in parallel planes, a support, agraduated series of intermediate compound gear-wheels independentlyrevoluble on said support with the separate. members thereofrespectively, in the parallel planes of the said driving and drivengearwheels, said support being rotatably journaledso as to have a pathof travel between said driving and driven gear-wheels, whereby anyselected ICO one of said intermediate compound gear-- wheels may connectin train the said driving and driven gear-wheels, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a variable-speed device, a driving-and a driven shaft, a drivingand driven gearwheel thereon revoluble in different parallel planes, asupport rotatably journaled eccentrically on one of said shafts, agraduated series of intermediate compound gear-wheels journaled on saidsupport, the separate members of said intermediates being revoluble inthe parallel planesof the driving and driven gear-wheels, whereby whensaid support is rotated said intermediates may be selectivelyintermeshed with said driving and driven gear-wheels, and means forrotating the support, substantially as described.

7. In avariable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, driving anddriven gear-wheels thereon revoluble in parallel planes, a supportrota'tably journaled, a graduated series of intermediate compoundgear-wheels independently revoluble on-said-support, the separatemembers of each being revoluble in the parallel planes of the drivingand/driven gear-wheels, said intermediates being located on the supportin such line as to be inter- I meshed with the driving and drivengearwheels respectively, when thesupport is rotated, and meansfor'rotatihgand locking said support in selected tiallyas described. l

8. In avariable-speed device, a driving and positions, substana'drivenshaft, a driving and a driven gearwheel revolubly mounted on said shaftsin parallel planes, a rotatable support, a graduated series ofintermediate compound gearwheels on said support the separate memberswhereof are revoluble in the parallel planes of said driving and drivengear-wheels respectively, said intermediates being placed on saidsupport so as to be presented to the driving and driven gear-wheels whenthe support is rotated, means for rotating said support and means forshifting said support in a direction lengthwise of said shafts, wherebyany selected intermediate may be independently connected in train withsaid driving and driven gear-wheels, substantially as described.

9. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gearwheel of different diameter revoluble in parallelplanes on said shafts, a support rotatably journaled eccentric to one ofsaid shafts, a graduated series of intermediate compound gear-wheels themembers of which are revoluble in i the parallel planes of the drivingand driven gear-wheels, said intermediates being arranged on saidsupport so as to have a path of travel between the driving and drivengear'wheels when the support is rotated, means for rotating saidsupport, means for locking support, and means for shifting said supportlengthwise,whereby any selected intermediate compound gear-wheel may beindependently intermeshed with said driving and driven gear-wheels,substantially as described.

10. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gear-Wheel revoluble on said shaft in parallel planes, apower-wheel loosely mounted on the driving-shaft, a clutch for fixingsaid wheel to said shaft, a movable support, a graduated series ofintermediate compound gear-wheels the members of which are revoluble inthe parallel planes of said driving and driven gear-wheels, saidintermediates being placed on. said support so as to have a path ofmovement between said driving and driven gearwheels whereby each of saidintermediates is adapted to connect said gear-wheels in train, means formoving said support in the said parallel planes of said driving anddriven gear-wheels, and means for moving said support and shifting saidclutch simultaneously in opposite directions transversely to the planesof rotation of said gear-wheels, substantially as described.

11. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gear-wheel, a rotatable support, gear-wheels adapted to beintermeshed with said driving and driven gear-wheels, a hand-Wheel forrotating said support, said support being movable longitudinally of itsbearings, and means for shifting said support, substantially asdescribed.

12. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gear-wheel, a rotatable support movable also transverselyto its plane of rotation, gearwheels on said support adapted to beintermeshed with said driving and driven gearwheels, means for rotatingsaid support, means for rocking said support in predetermined positionof rotation, and means for shifting said support longitudinally,substantially as described.

13. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gear-wheel, a rotatable support movable also transverselyto its plane of rotation, gearwheels on said support adapted to beintermeshed with said driving and driven gearwheels, means for rotatingsaid support and locking it in predetermined positions of rotation, apower-wheel and a clutch on the driving-shaft, and means for shiftingsaid clutch and said support simultaneously, substantially as described.

14. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, drivingand driven gearwheels thereon revoluble in parallel planes, a supportconsisting of parallel rotatable disks one of whichis journaledeccentrically on one of said shafts, the other disk being provided witha stud-shaft journaled concentricallyto the journal of the opposingdisk, a graduated series of intermediate compound gear-wheels. journaledbetween said supporting-disks, the'members of each compound intermediatebeing revoluble in the parallel planes of the driving and drivengear-wheels respectively, and means for rotating said supports wherebysaid compound intermediates may be successively intermeshed with saiddriving and driven gear-wheels, substantially as described.

15. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gear-wheel revoluble in parallel planes thereon, a supportconsisting of opposing disks one of which is journaled eccentrically onone of said shafts, the other being provided with a stud-shaft journaledconcentrically with the opposing disk, a graduated series ofintermediate compound gear-wheels journaled be tween said disks, withthe separate members in the planes of the driving and driven gearwheelsrespectively, the said intermediates being disposed on said support soas to have a path of travel between the driving and driven gear-wheelswhen the support is 1'0- tated, the said support being movabletransversely to its plane of rotation, means for shifting said supportand means for rotating and locking said'support, substantially asdescribed.

16. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gearwheel thereon revoluble in parallel planes, astud-shaft journaled eccentrically relative to one of said shafts, asupport fixed to said stud-shaft, a graduated series of intermediatecompound gear-wheels on said sup- IIS port the members of which are inthe planes of the driving and driven gear-wheels respectively, and meansfor rotating said support, 7

whereby the separate members of each com: pound intermediate may beintermeshed with the driving and driven gear-wheels respectively,substantially as described.

17. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand'a driven gear-wheel revoluble in parallel planes there on, astud-shaft providedwith a rack, journaled eccentrically relative to oneof said shafts, a notched disk on said shaft, a support on said shaft,said stud-shaft being movable longitudinally in its bearings, agraduated series of intermediate compound gearwheels disposed on saidsupport, the membersof which intermediates are adapted to be intermeshedwith the driving and driven gear-wheels respectively, when the supportis rotated, means for rotating said stud-shaft, a lever having asegmentengaging the rack of the stud-shaft, and a pawl engaging thenotches of the disk, and means for shifting said lever, substantially asdescribed.

18.7111 a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand-a driven gear-wheel revoluble in parallel planes thereon, apower-wheel loose on the driving-shaft, a clutch on saiddriving-shaft-adapted to fix said power-wheel to said shaft, ashifting-lever for the clutch, a stud-shaft journaled eccentrically toone of said shafts, a rack, a locking-disk and a'support all on saidstud-shaft, com pound intermediates on said snp'port, each adapted toconnect said driving and driven gear-wheels in train when the support isrorated, means for rotating said stud-shaft, a

' lever having a segment engaging the rack and a pawl engaging thelocking-disk on said studshaft, connections between said clutch-shiftingand stud-shaft-shifting levers, and means for shifting said levers,whereby any selected compound intermediate may be thrown into trainwhile the power is off, substantially as described.

19. In a variable-speed device, a "driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gear-wheel thereon, a stud-shaft, a support thereon,gear-Wheels on said support adapted to be selectively intermeshed withsaid driving and driven gear-wheelsto give a variety of speeds, agear-wheel fixed to said studsegment the teeth of which engage the teethof the gear-wheel on the stud-shaft, an index opposite said lever, andmeans for locking said notched disk, substantially as described.

21. In a variable-speed device, the driving and driven shafts, theirgear-wheels, the-rotatable support, its compound intermediates adaptedto selectively connect in train said shafts, said support beingrotatable and movable transversely to its plane of rotation, a

power-wheel loose on the driving-shaft, a v

clutch for fixing said power-wheel to said driving-shaft, a rack forshifting said support, a notched disk for locking said support indifferent'positions of adjustment,-a lever for shifting said clutch, alever having asegment engaging said rack and a pawl engaging saidnotched disk, a connecting-bar having slotted engagement with saidlevers,

means for shifting said levers, and means for rotating said support,substantially as described. V

22. In a variable-speed device, the driving and driven shafts, drivingand driven gearwheels thereon revoluble in parallel planes, a rotatablesupport, a series of independently-revoluble intermediate compoundgearwheels on said support the members of each of which are revolubleinthe planes of the driving and drivengear-wheels, the center of saidsupport being so disposed; that the said intermediates have an orbit ofrevolution between said shafts andaround one of them, and means forrotating said support whereby the driving and driven gear-wheels maybedirectly intermeshed respectively with thetwo members of any selectedone of said compound intermediates, substantially as described. t.

23. In a variable-speed device, the driving and driven shafts, drivingand driven gearwheels thereon revoluble in parallel planes,

the support eccentrically'journaled on one of said shafts, a series ofintermediate compound gear-wheels on said supportthe members of whichare revoluble in the planes .of

said driving and driven gear-wheels, the eccentricity of the support,and the disposition of the intermediates thereon being such that whenthesupport is rotated the intermediates have an orbit of rotationbetween said shafts and around one of them, whereby said driving anddriven gear-wheels may be connected in train through any selected one ofsaid intermediates,substantially as described. 24. In a variable-speeddevice, the driving ran and driven shafts,the driving and drivengearwheels thereon revoluble in parallel planes, a rotatable support, aseries of independentlyrotatable intermediate compound gear-wheelsthereon, the members of which are revoluble in the planes of the drivingand driven'gearwheels, the center of said support being .so disposedthat said intermediates have an orbit of rotation between said shaftsand around one of said shafts, and means for rotating said supportwhereby said shafts may be connected in train through any selected oneof saidintermediatcs,substantiallyas described.

25. In a variable-speed device, the driving and the driven shafts, adriving and driven gear wheel thereon revoluble in parallel planes, asupport eccentrically journaled, a series of intermediate compoundgear-wheels on said support the members of which are revoluble in theplanes of the driving and driven gear-wheels, the eccentricity of saidsupport and the disposition of the intermediates thereon being such thatwhen said support is rotated the intermediates have an orbit of rotationin which the peripheries of each are successively intermeshed with thedriving and driven gear-wheels at a given point and passed out of meshat every other point in said orbit of revolution, and means for rotatingsaid support, substantially as described.

26. Ina variable-speed device a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gear-wheel one of which wheels is on one end of saidshafts, said gear-wheels being revoluble in parallel planes, a rotatablesupport placed opposite the end of said shaft, a gearwheel thereon, agraduated series of intermediate compound gear-wheels on said supportthe members of which are revoluble in the planes of said drivinganddriven gear-wheels, the center of said support and the disposition ofsaid intermediates being such that when said support is rotated thecenter of said intermediates have an orbit of rotation in whicheachintermediateissuccessivelyintermeshed with said driving and drivengear-wheels at a given point and out of mesh at every other point in thesaid orbit of rotation, and means for rotating said support,substantially as described.

27. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, a drivingand a driven gear-wheel on said shafts revoluble in parallel planes, oneof said gear-wheels being placed on an end of one of said shaftsterminating within the variable-speed mechanism,

a support rotatably placed opposite the end of said last-mentionedshaft, a graduated series of intermediate compound gear-wheels on saidsupport the members of which are revoluble in the planes of revolutionof said driving and driven gear-Wheels, a journal for said supporthaving bearings in the said plane of revolution of said gear-wheels,said support being slidable on its hearings in directions transverse toits plane of rotation, the center of said support being so disposedrelative to said shafts, and the centers of said intermediates being sodisposed relative to the center of said support, that when the supportisrotated the intermediates have an orbit of rotation between said shaftsand around the end of one of them in only one point of which theintermediates may be brought into mesh with the driving and drivengear-wheels, means for rotating said support, and means for shiftingsaid support laterally whereby a selected intermediate may be throwninto mesh independently of the others, substantially as described.

28. In a variable-speed device, a driving and a driven shaft, thedriving and driven gearwheels revoluble in parallel planes thereof, thepower-Wheel loose on the drivingshaft, a clutch on the driving-shaftadapted to fix said power-wheel to said shaft, the driving-shaft beingslidable longitudinally in its bearing, means for selectivelyintermeshing a graduated series of compound intermediate gear-wheelsbetween said driving and driven gear-wheels, said means consisting of arotatable support, means for rotating and locking said support and acombined lever and shaft adapted to rotate said support and to shiftsaid clutch and driving-shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ANTON MILL.

Witnesses:

OLIVER B. KAISER, IDA .T. LUCAS.

